As told by Lydia Horne
For quarantined NOPA residents, relief from our tiny apartments comes from a few precious outlets: Golden Gate Park, restaurant takeout, and the grocery store. At one such respite, Bi-Rite Market Divisadero, Cassie McKeown has been at the helm as the beloved SF establishment calibrates to prove essential services to the community.
It’s a challenging puzzle for McKeown, Bi-Rite General Manager, to maneuver the sanitation and safety requirements of businesses enforced by the SF Department of Public Health and CDC. Recently Bi-Rite introduced a shift in operations to accommodate the different needs of shoppers. McKeown explains, “We modified our hours to provide dedicated shopping time for our senior and at-risk guests, and give my team extra time to reset the store and rest each night.”
Still, many shoppers feel anxiety (justifiably) stepping out into the world and entering a public space—like the market. McKeown, not missing a beat, emphasizes efficiency to her staff. This way, people get out the door faster and back to their sanitized sanctums sooner.
Ensuring employees are working safely and collaboratively is a priority for McKeown, who’s also noticed a sense of cohesion within the team - most of whom live near enough to walk or bike to work - since the start of the crisis. “We were able to bring staff from Bi-Rite’s Catering, Cafe, and Creamery locations onto the Market team,” she says. “It’s been truly amazing to see everyone really pull together.” There’s now a ‘Wall of Love’ in the Bi-Rite team break room that’s covered with printed thank-you emails and messages posted on social media.
McKeown moved to San Francisco in 2010 and has worked at Bi-Rite for the past two years. Right on-brand, McKeown is a passionate cook and reports quarantine cooking has inspired new recipes in her kitchen. She’s witnessed a creative culinary spirit among Bi-Rite shoppers too, as sourdough starter has been flying off the shelves and folks fill their baskets with seasonal produce. For McKeown, cooking is a unifier: “I’ve always found food to be really comforting, and there’s this awesome sense of accomplishment people have when they tackle a new recipe or technique.”